Relationship between Years of Marijuana Use and the Four Main Diagnostic Criteria for Metabolic Syndrome among United States Adults

Abstract

Objective: Research on marijuana use suggests a protective effect on metabolic syndrome. National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III, World Health Organization, European Group for the study of Insulin Resistance and International Diabetes Federation have different criteria for metabolic syndrome. Definitions of both marijuana use and criteria for metabolic syndrome may influence the observed effects. We examine the relationship of years of marijuana use with the four common definitions of metabolic syndrome.Method: This is a cross-sectional study of 3051 adults aged ≥ 20 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012. Only participants who responded to the question, "Have you ever even once used marijuana or hashish?" were enrolled. Using multivariate logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios for metabolic syndrome with each year of marijuana use.Results: Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for having metabolic syndrome with each increase in year of marijuana use was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.08) using National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. Respective AOR using International Diabetes Federation (IDF) was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.13) and 1.05 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.13) using World Health Organization (WHO) or European Group for the study of Insulin Resistance (EGIR) criteria. Using ATP III or IDF criteria, the adjusted odds ratio of having hypertension (AOR Hyp) for each year of marijuana use was 1.07 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.12). Using WHO criteria, AOR Hyp was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.09) and 1.08 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.12) using EGIR. All the applicable criteria show increased odds for abdominal obesity: AOR 1.06 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.11) (ATP III), 1.09 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.14) (EGIR) or 1.07 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.13) (IDF). Adjusted odds ratio for having high oral glucose tolerance test levels was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.18) using WHO and EGIR criteria. Conclusion:Irrespective of the criteria for metabolic syndrome, each year of marijuana use showed increased odds of having metabolic syndrome, hypertension or high oral glucose tolerance test levels. This increased odd is in contrast to most findings in literature. The small, yet consistent increase in odds for hypertension was slightly higher than that observed with cigarette smoking. Recreational marijuana use may be detrimental to cardiovascular health. A standardized definition of marijuana use will be relevant for further investigation.

Marijuana Use Among Adults 50 Years or Older in the 21st Century

“…Marijuana use can negatively affect the health of those in the older adult population beyond abuse and dependence. Marijuana use has been associated with injury ( Asbridge et al, 2014 ; Blows et al, 2005 ; Choi, Marti, et al, 2017 ; Wettlaufer et al, 2017 ), mental health problems ( Choi et al, 2016 ; Choi et al, 2016a ; Hall & Degenhardt, 2009 ; Manrique-Garcia et al, 2012 ), cardiovascular disease ( Alshaarawy & Elbaz, 2016 ; Hackam, 2015 ; Hemachandra, McKetin, Cherbuin, & Anstey, 2016 ; Lindsay, Foale, Warren, & Henry, 2005 ; Reece, Norman, & Hulse, 2016 ), respiratory problems ( Howden & Naughton, 2011 ; Macleod et al, 2015 ; Martinasek, McGrogan, & Maysonet, 2016 ; Moore, Augustson, Moser, & Budney, 2005 ), metabolic syndrome ( B. A. Yankey, Rothenberg, Strasser, White, & Okosun, 2017 ; B. N. Yankey, Strasser, & Okosun, 2016 ), cancer ( Aldington et al,2008a , 2008b ; Zhang et al, 1999 ), unhealthy diet ( Foltin, Fischman, & Byrne, 1988 ; Smit & Crespo, 2001 ), and drug–drug interactions ( Lasota, 2015 ; Mahvan et al, 2017 ).…”

The translational network for metabolic disease – from protein interaction to disease co-occurrence

“…A large proportion of people suffer from metabolic disruptions and the incidence rate is in trending upwards at the population level. During the period 2003 to 2012, metabolic syndrome prevalence in the United States was approximately, 18.0% among adults aged 20~39 years, 35.0% among adults aged 40~59 years, and 46.7% among adults aged 60 years and above [27]. With respect to diabetes in particular, 9.3% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with diabetes, and 37% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older were pre-diabetic in 2009–2012 [28].…”

Physical inactivity during adolescence heightens risk for cannabis use disorder in adulthood.

“…One manifestation is impaired executive cognitive functioning resulting in diminished initiation and persistence toward goals and poor behavior modulation during social interactions (Crean et al, 2011; Scott et al, 2017). Regular cannabis use also promotes adiposity (Penner et al, 2013), metabolic syndrome (Muniyappa et al, 2013; Weinberger et al, 2019; Yankey et al, 2017), and pulmonary insufficiency (Tashkin, 2013; Taylor & Hall, 2003) which, in varying degree, dampen motivation for physically effortful activities. In effect, low inclination for effortful physical activity antedating cannabis use, exacerbated by medical and neurological disturbances consequent to habitual consumption, may underlie frequently reported “amotivation” (Cherek et al, 2002; Lac & Luk, 2018).…”